Internal-combustion engine



w. H. KNOWLES. V

INTERNAL coNBusnoN ENGINE.

I APPUCATION FILED JULY 20,1916. 1,379,348. atented May 24, 1921.

5 SHEETSSHEET l.

awuwtoz W/4mm W. H'. KNOWLES.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION mu) JULY 20, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

wmwmm W. H. KNOWLES.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, L916.

amamto o 5 SHEETS-SHEET Patented May 24, 1921.

ail--5 emu/M1 g w. H. KNOWLES. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 20, I916.

Patented May 24, 1921.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

attomeq g VUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. WILLIAM HQ KNOWLES, 013 DETROIT, MICHIGAN;

INTERNAL-COMBUSTIGN ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 20, 1916. Serial No. 110,285.

To all whom it may concern:

Be-it known that I, WILLIAM H. KNOWLES, a citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Detroit, in the county of l/Vayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain. new and useful Improvements inInternaLCombustion Engines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to internal combustion engines and has for itsprimary object increase in: power and efficiency. To this end theinvention comprises, first, the means for super-charging the cylinderswith the explosive gas, further, the means for cont pletely eliminatingor scavenging the ex-- plosion chambers of the burnt gases; further, themeans for mufliing the exhaust and at the sametime reducing thebackpressure and further, various specific features as hereinafter setforth.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the engine, partly inelevation;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof in the plane of one of the cylinders;Fig. 3 isa cross-section. in the plane of one of the valves;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectionthrough the muffler;

Fig. 5 is a section on line y-y of Fig; 3; and

Fig. 6 isa section on line 03-00 of Fig. 3.

My improved construction preferably comprises a plurality ofpower-cylinders cast en bloc, and preferably with one valvecylinderserving to control twopowencylinders. Each power-cylinder contains aplurality of pistons arranged to produce a compression pump as well asthe explosion chamber, and the transfer of the gases compressed by thepump to the power-cylinder, as well as the admission and exhaust of thelatter are controlled by the valves in the valve-cylinder, thecompression charges be ing temporarily stored within the valve. Indetail, A and A are the power cylinders, which are of sufiicient lengthto receive two separated pistons Band B connected by a rod C passingthrough an intermediate head or partition D. The cylinders A and A areprovided with waterjackets E and the heads Dare preferably hollow andconnected with said waterjackets for proper cooling. F is a crank caseand G the crank-shaft therein, which is connected by pitman rods H and Hto the lower pistons B".

Each valve cylinder I is arranged intermediate a pair of power cylindersand is preferably arranged with its axis at an angle to the axes of thepower cylinders. Within eachvalve-cylinder are arranged preferably apair of sleeve valves J and J, and within these sleeves is a hollow coremember K which is divided by partitions into the separate chambers L andL, L and L There is also an exhaust conduit M arranged with in thehollow core and preferably extending outward through the upper endthereof with a plurality of ports for controlling.

the admission and exhaust of each of thepair of power cylinders, alsoadmission to and discharge from the pump of each cylinder,

while the air and gases compressed by the pump are temporarily storedWithin the chambers L and L of the hollow core K. Specifically, theports are so arranged that air passes through the chamber L in thehollow core and is admitted through the port 1 tothe chamber Q, belowthe head D and between the same and the piston B, so that in thedown-stroke of said piston a volumeof air will be drawn into the cylinder and in the rip-stroke of said piston the air will be compressed andfinally ejected through a port (not shown) into the chamber L within thehollow core. In the same manner the ports are arranged to controladmission of gas or richly carbureted air into the chamber R above thepartition D and between the same and the piston B, so that in theup-stroke of said piston a volume of gas will be drawn in through thechamber L and port 2 and will be compressed upon the down-stroke andejected through a port 6 into the chamber L within the hollow core. Thevalve sleeves J and J further control the passage of the stored air andgas into the combustion chamber and the exhaust of the burnt gases fromthe explo- Patented May 24, 1921.

passes through the port 3 and the stored gas passes through the port 4:into the combustion chamber, and the burnt gases pass from the explosionchamber to the exhaust manifold through the port 5. The various portsfor performing these several functions are suitably located anddistributed along the cylindrical valve shell, and leakage is preventedby arrangement of packing rings S and S surroundingthe shell whichdivide the surface thereof into different zones.

In operation each reciprocation of the pistons within the cylinder willcause the pumping of a volume of air and a volume of gas, eachequivalent to the volume displaced by the piston in the explosionchamber, and these pumped volumes will be stored in the chambers L and Lwithin the hollow core. At the completion of each power stroke 01 thepiston B the exhaust valve willopen and slightly later the port 3 willbe opened for admitting air stored in the chamber L into the combustionchamber. The point of admission of the air is preferably located nearone end of the explosion chamber, while the exhaust is located near theopposite end, thereby permitting the incoming air to displace orscavenge the cylinder of burnt gases. After this scavenging operationthe port 4 will be opened to admit the compressed gas into the explosionchamber, the pressure npon the gas in the storage chamber beingsuificient for this purpose. All of the ports communicating with theexplosion chamber are then closed and the charge is compressed by theupstroke of the piston B, ignition taking place at'the top of the stroketo develop power in the succeeding down-stroke. Thus there is anexplosion in eachcylinder for each revolution of the crank-shaft, and asthere is a'super-charge of gas for each explosion a marked increase inpower is obtained. i

The power of the engine is further increased by reducing theback-pressure on the exhaust, which is accomplished by the fan P.Thisfan performs the further function 1. In an internal combustionengine, the

combination with a plurality of power cylinders, of a valve cylinder,means within said power cylinders for compressing gases and means withinsaid valve cylinder for transferring said compressed gases, said gasesbe ing temporarily stored within said valve cylinder, and forcontrolling the admission and exhaust of said cylinders.

2. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder, a cylindricalmember provided with separate chambers for respectively conducting airand gas to the engine cylinder and exhaust gases from said enginecylinder, and concentric valve sleeves surrounding said cylindricalmember and con- 5 trolling the passage of the air, gas and exhaustgases. 1

3. In an internal combustion engine, an engine cylinder, a valvecylinder provided with chambers forstoring air and gas communicatingwith said engine cylinder at different points and also provided with apassageway for the exhaust gases communicat ing with said enginecylinder, and valve mechanism within said valve cylinder for controllingthe passage of air and gas into and out of said chambers at differentpoints therein and for controllingthe passage of the exhaust gasesthrough said passageway.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature. Y 1

WILLIAM H. KNOWLES.

